Lockheed nears $37bln deal for F-35

Lockheed Martin is close to a $37 billion deal to sell a record 440 F-35 fighter jets to 11 nations, people familiar with the talks said. As Ivor Bennett reports, the fighter made its Paris Airshow debut on Monday, along with a new upgraded version of Airbus’s ‘superjumbo’ A380.

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It probably wasn’t by design, but the aerobatics at this year’s Paris Airshow were an appropriate reflection of the market. After years of booming orders, the upward trajectory is petering out. Jetmakers now braced if not for a nosedive, then at least for a slowdown. Airbus is hoping these new wingtips will help ignite demand for its A380, the world’s biggest passenger jet, by reducing fuel burn by up to 4 percent. This one is called the A380plus. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS EUROPEAN AIRLINES CORRESPONDENT, VICTORIA BRYAN, SAYING: “It can also squeeze more seats on the plane. Hopes that these upgrades will reduce the operating cost per seat of the plane and maybe entice some people to buy the jet for which there’s been very few orders over the last few years.” It probably wasn’t by design, but the aerobatics at this year’s Paris Airshow were an appropriate reflection of the market. After years of booming orders, the upward trajectory is petering out. Jetmakers now braced if not for a nosedive, then at least for a slowdown. Airlines too are struggling to reduce costs. None more so that Qatar Airways, following the transport boycott by its neighbours. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CEO OF QATAR AIRWAYS, AKBAR AL BAKER, SAYING: “Yes there has been monetary impacts, we have had a lot of cancellations, especially…